"Vrooooom-Gyuuuun!!!"
Watching Twin Turbo sprint across the turf was a spectacle that never grew old. Even though she employed the same "Great Escape" strategy as Rampage, her style was a completely different beast—and that's what made it interesting.
Her sharpness at the start dash was equal to Rampage's. But from there, her acceleration, her ability to maintain speed, and that explosive re-acceleration in the mid-to-final stages—the True Dokkan Turbo—left everyone else in the dust. That was why she had so many fans. It was only natural; seeing such a tiny body execute a Great Escape that rivaled the Tyrant herself was nothing short of inspiring.
And now, Turbo was running in the Japan Cup.
"How's your condition, Turbo?"
"Perfect form!! Like this, I can beat Teio and Silver!!"
"That's what I like to hear."
Turbo was in peak condition. It seemed that even while Rampage was away from Japan, Turbo had continued her special training to improve the precision of the Dokkan Turbo. According to the girl herself, she felt like she had "kinda, sort of" grasped the knack for conserving energy.
Just "kinda, sort of," huh…? Rampage almost sighed. Although Trainer Minami-zaka had been overseeing her, Rampage's understanding of the mechanics was far superior, so she decided to take a look herself.
"It's true that the pacing for the Dokkan Turbo is becoming more consistent… It still fluctuates quite a bit, but compared to before, the variance is narrowing."
After taking some statistical samples, it was clear Turbo was learning to intentionally speed up or slow down. There was still a significant margin of error, and it was hard to say she had full control… but she was definitely starting to grip the reins of her own power.
"Hey, hey! What kind of horse girl was Silver!?"
"Her parents are a mechanic and a chef for an F1 team. She says she plans to go into that field after she retires."
"Heh~. We learned in class that a lot of horse girls go down that path."
"A lot of them want to stay close to the wind even if they can't run at their peak anymore. So, plenty aim for jobs in the racing industry."
"So, how's her running?"
"That's the main question, isn't it?"
Silverstone's running was simple and clear. An escape style from start to finish—just like Rampage and Turbo. However, her greatest charm was the raw power that allowed her to run lightly over the heavy, deep turf of Europe as if it were nothing. On top of that, she was a "mudlark"—an expert on bad tracks who could literally kick aside adverse conditions like rain, wind, or heavy ground.
"She sounds kinda like Ran!! If she ran in the Arc, it would've been a good match, right?"
"That's the consensus. Honestly, if she had been there, it might have turned into a one-on-one duel. She doesn't just rely on power; her knowledge is deep, and she's a theorist who combines a thoroughly self-managed physique with her running form. She's genuinely dangerous."
It seemed she was compatible with Japanese turf as well, meaning those legs of steel would now generate immense speed. She might even rewrite my record, Rampage thought.
"Turbo. Until the Japan Cup, I'm going to watch over you constantly. We're going to perfect the Dokkan Turbo."
"Leave it to me!! Turbo is a Triple Tiara winner, the horse girl who followed in the footsteps of Ramonu and Ran!! I'm practically a Mejiro horse girl, so I'll do my best!!"
"Hah! You're talking big now, aren't you~!!"
Rampage ruffled Turbo's hair roughly. Turbo flailed a bit but accepted the affection. Yeah, Rampage thought, Turbo really is like another little sister to me. unlike Rice, who was quiet, Turbo was high-maintenance. But that made her endearing; you couldn't help but want to look after her.
"Alright, Turbo. I'm running alongside you."
"Eh? Is that okay? Didn't the trainer say you weren't allowed to run?"
"Not running at all is poison for the body; I'll get rusty. Right after the start, it's going to be a scramble for the lead against her. Be prepared to drop to second position if necessary. Don't worry—in a race, as long as you're in front at the very end, you win."
"I see, that's true… wait, should Ran and Turbo really be saying that?"
"Don't sweat the details. Now, we're running. Follow me—my idiot disciple!!"
"Turbo isn't an idi—eh?"
At that moment, Turbo doubted her ears. She had called herself Rampage's disciple countless times, and every single time, Rampage had retorted that she wasn't. But now… she had actually called her "disciple."
In disbelief, Turbo pulled off her ear cover, tapped it, and put it back on.
"R-Ran! Say it again!!"
"I said I'm running so follow me, you idiot."
"Not that!! After that! The part right after!!"
"Unfortunately, I've decided not to feed you too many treats. If you want to hear it again, win the Japan Cup."
"Ghh~! Fine! Turbo will win!!"
Turbo shouted the words as she hugged Rampage from behind. Rampage's back felt incredibly large. It was reliable, warm, and radiated a heat that seemed overflowing with both strength and kindness.
"Teio, Ikuno, Nature… leave them all in the dust."
"Leave it to meeee!!"
『For a long time, Japanese horse girls were unable to claim victory on this stage. Mejiro Rampage overturned that history, and Agnes Flora followed suit. What will happen this year?! Will the Silver Comet from overseas, Silverstone—who vied for supremacy against the Tyrant—conquer the Japan Cup!? Or will the Iron Lady, Ikuno Dictus, follow in the footsteps of her generation's leaders? Will the undefeated Triple Crown winner, the Spring Senior Triple Crown champion Tokai Teio, claim a crown in the Autumn Senior series!? Or will Nice Nature capture this race that bears Japan's name as a Derby Horse Girl!!?』
The Japan Cup. One of the races where Rampage's legend was forged. The conversation surrounding what kind of legend would be born this year was endless. The field was stacked with talent, comparable to Rampage's own era.
And this year—
『And is history repeating itself?! The Double Crown Horse Girl of this year, fresh from the Kikuka Sho, aims for Japan Cup domination! Declaring war on the powerful Senior Class horse girls, she says, "I have arrived"—Miho no Bourbon!! Will she achieve a Classic Class victory just like Mejiro Rampage!!?』
Bourbon was participating. Entering the Japan Cup straight from the Kikuka Sho. A runner with an escape strategy. It was reminiscent of Rampage. perhaps because many saw the parallel, Bourbon was the 4th favorite. Expectations were high.
1st Favorite: Tokai Teio.
2nd Favorite: Silverstone.
3rd Favorite: Ikuno Dictus.
4th Favorite: Miho no Bourbon.
5th Favorite: Nice Nature.
And amidst these names, Turbo finally burst onto the turf.
"Turbo has arrived!!"
Turbo was the 6th favorite. Compared to the rest of the lineup, the expectations for her seemed low, but she didn't care in the slightest. She puffed out her chest, walking toward the gate with absolute confidence.
"Turbo is just going to run. Run with everything I've got!!"
Watching that figure, Minami-zaka later said that Rampage's eyes were filled with nothing but boundless gentleness.
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